Palatial Expansion and Your Stovetop

[red]

I like to cook (nothing complicated), but I'm terrible at multi-tasking.  I can really only make one dish and end up just eating that.  I need a better half (but not really, just someone to cook for me... ;D

[Jon T.]

Gruyere definitely brings the funk.

[vespachick]

While I prefer to eat and cook savory type things, turns out I'm am a better "baker". This is a recipe I recently got from my mom in order to bring some cookies to the exchange at work. The best thing about it, aside from the tastie factor, is the fact that it's from 1970 Better Homes & Gardens Magazine.  I Love Me some old Timey Shite. (That, and the name is fantastic).  Nice:

SANTA'S WHISKERS

1 C Butter
1 C Sugar
2 T Milk
2t Vanilla (or Rum extract)
2 1/2 C Sifted Flour
3/4C Red & Greed candied cherries (sounds gross, I know, but trust me)
1/2C Finely chopped Pecans
1/2C Flaked Coconut

Cream the Butter and sugar; blend in milk and vanilla (or Rum if that's wot you're into)
Stir in Flour, cherries and nuts
Make Two Rolls out of the dough, like 2" X 8"
Roll in the coconut
Wrap in waxed paper
Refrigerate for a couple hours or overnight (the longer the better)
Slice that business up (1/4 inches thick)
Put on an ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for 12 minutes = golden edges
Eat em
Should yield 5 Dozen.

Happy Happy Holidaze.

[red]

Anyone have any favourite squash recipes?  My neighbour gave me a butternut squash and I'm looking for something new to do with it.  Usually I just cut them in half, sprinkle some cinnamon and then roast them in either the oven or on the BBQ.  

[Salacious D]

I just had a butternut squash and lobster bisque from Whole Foods yesterday. It was incredible. Unfortunately, WF never gives away their recipes, but here is one that sounds similar: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/367/Butternut-Squash-Soup-with-Lob87529.shtml

[pawpaw]

I love to cook, just don't really have the time to do much these days. I'm a one pot, slow cookin' kind of guy. Venison stew, braised lamb shanks or short ribs, posole (I STILL owe VC a recipe for this  ::)), chile verde, and good, hearty soups.

Here's one of my favorite soup recipes...this is coming from memory, so the quantities are probably screwed up, but I'll check when I get home:

Chicken Garlic Bread Soup

-1 whole chicken
-1 baguette
-6 leeks (can use a whole white or yellow onion too)
-4 to 6 cloves of garlic
-a few different dried herbs, probably oregano and basil, and 2 bay leaves
-1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
-1 wedge of parmesan cheese, w/rind

First, cut the chicken up into its more recognizable form...breasts, thighs, wings and drumsticks  ;D Put these in a large pot, and cover with a lot of water, at least 8 cups. Boil for, like 20-30 minutes, until the chicken looks cooked through. Set aside to let cool, and then pick the bones into bite size pieces. Keep the chicken stock.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to about 400. Cube up the baguette into 1 inch cubes, and then toss them in olive oil. Then salt them really good and spread them on a baking sheet. Put them in the oven until they're really crispy...basically making big croutons.

Cut up the leeks into thin slices, and mince the garlic. Put them in the pot, and saute in oil, 5 minutes or so. Then add the herbs and chicken, and salt generously. Then add the can of tomatoes, the reserved chicken stock, and the parmesan rind. Let this simmer for at least an hour. When it's time to eat, take it off the burner and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Put in the bread cubes a few minutes before eating, and then top with grated parmesan cheese.

This is more of a winter time recipe, but it's really good.  

[pawpaw]

This is baking as I type this...

Some tasty, non-traditional Lasagna

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb.      pork sausage
5 medium      leeks, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup      whipping cream or half & half
1 cup      chicken broth
2 cups Pasta Sauce
1 box Oven ready lasagna sheets (the kind you don't need to pre-boil)
1-1/2 cups      shredded Swiss cheese


HEAT oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage; cook 10 minutes or until meat just loses pink color, breaking up chunks with wooden spoon. ADD leeks; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until wilted. Stir in wine and broth; bring to boil. REDUCE heat to medium-low; simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half. Stir in cream; continue cooking 5 minutes.

PREHEAT oven to 375°F.

TO ASSEMBLE: Spread 1 cup sausage mixture in 13x9-inch baking dish; top with 4 lasagne sheets and another cup of sausage mixture. Top with ½ cup Pasta Sauce, ½ cup cheese, 4 lasagne sheets and 1 cup sausage mixture. Repeat layers once. Pour remaining 1 cup Pasta Sauce over lasagne; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
COVER with foil; bake 45 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

[YouAre_GivenToFly]

This is a favorite of mine

Chicken Taco Casserole

Brown chicken breast (approximately 1 lb.) in taco seasoning, set aside
Prepare cornbread mix, set aside
spread one can refried beans in the bottle of a 9x13 pan that has been pammed
spread cooked taco chicken on top of beans
sprinkle the following on top of chicken:
shredded cheddar cheese
sweet white corn
chopped black olives
chopped green onions
more cheese
top all of this with cornbread mix
bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until cornbread is done to a golden brown

Let cool for a while, serve with salsa, sour cream, avocado and/or whatever you like.

[vespachick]

1 box Oven ready lasagna sheets (the kind you don't need to pre-boil)

That lasagne recipe sounds delish!!

Just an fyi, You don't ever have to boil your lasagne sheets.  No  matter the kind you buy, and whether or not it says to boil.  Seriously.  It's a marketing rouse to get you to pay more because it says "No Boil".  So don't beleive the hype and don't boil your lasagne - no matter the brand!

[pawpaw]

1 box Oven ready lasagna sheets (the kind you don't need to pre-boil)

That lasagne recipe sounds delish!!

Just an fyi, You don't ever have to boil your lasagne sheets.  No  matter the kind you buy, and whether or not it says to boil.  Seriously.  It's a marketing rouse to get you to pay more because it says "No Boil".  So don't beleive the hype and don't boil your lasagne - no matter the brand!

WELL I'LL BE....THOSE GOOD FER NOTHIN' TRICKSTERS!!! >:( ;D